First post, huge PRS fan...I just wanted to chime in as I recently picked up a 1991 PRS CE24 and I wanted to share my thoughts. So for reference, at 1 time or another I've had a late 90s & an early 00s CE22, a PRS DGT (06 I think), a 20th Anniversary Standard 24 (all mahogany), an S2 Vela, an SE semi-hollow, & I'm probably forgetting 1 or 2 (not to mention an embarrassingly large number of other makes/models). What's my point? This old beat up 91 CE24 is hands down THE best guitar I've ever had. I've had 335s, LP Standards & SGs, some nice Fenders, etc & nothing compares. Nothing. I don't like to believe that vintage or "pre-factory", in this case, equals better & I know PRS has never really had any QC problems. But, the sustain, tone, playability & overall feel is something I've not experienced before & I think this has a lot to do with where, when, & how it was built. I knew within just a few seconds this guitar was special and I didn't hesitate for a second to trade my 2019 American Professional Tele for it straight up. Objectively, it's been played a LOT but as far as I can tell it's never had a fret dress & the wear is almost imperceptible. The rosewood still has a rich, deep hue. The pots are a little scratchy but otherwise every component still works perfectly & stays in tune incredibly well. Subjectively, it doesn't play like a brand new guitar. It plays better. PRS's earlier days were all about bridging the gap between Gibson & Fender & this CE24 is the best example of that I've ever seen. It has more girth & sustain than an average Les Pau & I think it has a totally different level of clarity, note separation & bite than your average Fender. Hard to believe from a bolt-on less than 8 lbs. Oh & this is all unplugged, mind you. I haven't even gotten to the pickups yet! The HFS/Vintage Bass set is often referred to as a rough equivalent to the JB/Jazz combo. Output-wise, they're about the same but these don't "sound" like Seymour Duncans to me. I've played the hell out of the JB/Jazz set combined with all kinds of different woods. The HFS/VB mids/upper mids are more pronounced. They just sing & I cannot get enough of them. Sweet, biting vintage PAF tone for eons. Bottom line, I think all PRSs are great. You get so much more for your money than any other guitar. But I happily stumbled upon an example from yesteryear that reminds me that vintage guitars are still worth the hunt. Sorry for rambling! Hope you're enjoying your CE24, they're amazing instruments.
